In a continuing effort to improve the quality of shipping fruits, I, the inventor, typically hybridize a large number of peach, nectarine, plum, apricot, and cherry seedlings each year. The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of peach tree, which has been denominated varietally as ‘IVORY DUCHESS’. The present variety was hybridized by me in 2001, grown as a seedling on its own root in my greenhouse, and transplanted to a cultivated area of my experimental orchard at Bradford Farms near Le Grand, Calif. in Merced County (San Joaquin Valley).
The variety was developed as a first generation cross using an unnamed white flesh nectarine (unpatented) as the selected seed parent and an unnamed yellow flesh peach (unpatented) as the selected pollen parent. The unnamed seed parent was a first generation cross of ‘Spring Bright’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,507) nectarine by an unnamed white flesh nectarine (unpatented). The unnamed pollen parent was a first generation cross of ‘Spring Bright’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,507) nectarine by an unnamed yellow peach (unpatented). A single tree from the stated cross was selected as the claimed variety. Subsequent to origination of the present variety of peach tree, I asexually reproduced it by budding and grafting in the experimental orchard described above, and such reproduction of plant and fruit characteristics were true to the original plant in all respects. The reproduction of the variety included the use of ‘Nemaguard’ (unpatented) rootstock upon which the present variety was compatible and true to type.
The present variety is substantially distinguished from its common seed and pollen grandparent, ‘Spring Bright’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,507) nectarine, by producing white flesh peaches instead of yellow flesh nectarines and by maturing about one month earlier.
The present variety is most similar to ‘Ivory Princess’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,205) peach, by producing fruit that is clingstone in type, white in flesh color, mostly red is skin color, firm in texture, and sub-acid in flavor, but is distinguished therefrom by requiring less chilling hours, by blooming earlier, and by producing fruit that matures about eight days earlier.